Sequoia's Cabernets, Chardonnays Showcase Napa Grapes

Wine

May 27, 1993|By Bob Hosmon, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel

Sequoia Grove is certainly not the first winery to produce two styles of wine from two vineyard regions of California. But the 14-year-old winery leads the pack in demonstrating the impact of geography on grape production and the taste of the wines they produce.

Headquartered in California's Napa Valley, Sequoia Grove is named for the ancient trees that surround the property. It first produced wines from purchased grapes and from those from estate-owned vineyards near Rutherford. Today the winery still has about 15 acres of cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay near Rutherford. And it produces some fine wines from them.

The 1989 Sequoia Grove Cabernet Sauvignon ($18) demonstrates the quality of premium Napa-grown grapes, providing a wine that's rich and complex, with earthy varietal character and a clean finish. The 1990 Estate Reserve ($28), produced to Bordeaux standards with a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petite verdot and merlot, is lush and full-flavored, crisp and lean on the palate. It tastes similar to better reds from the great chateaux of Bordeaux.

Sequoia's 1989 Estate Chardonnay ($18) is rich and lush, powerful on the tongue, with a full-bodied, lingering finish. And owner and winemaker James Allen, who was recently on a promotional trip to South Florida, says the 1990 is the best chardonnay he's ever made.

Not content with the success of its outstanding Napa wines, Sequoia Grove also has developed vineyards in Carneros. Although it's in Napa County, Carneros is a separate viticultural region just 12 miles from Sequoia's estate vineyards near Rutherford. Those 12 miles, however, make a world of difference.

Constant ocean winds keep vineyards in Carneros a good 10 degrees cooler than Napa. The temperatures are similar to those in France's northern Burgundy region. This area has proven ideal for chardonnay and pinot noir grapes.

In cooperation with Domaine Carneros (a sparkling winery owned by the French champagne makers of Taittinger), Sequoia has planted 110 acres of vineyards in Carneros. The result is the recently released 1990 Sequoia Carneros Chardonnay ($16), a clean, crisp wine that resembles Meursault and other better white wines from Burgundy.

By contrast, the Sequoia Grove Napa Chardonnay is a rich, complex white, suitable for meals that include seafood such as lobster or poultry with rich cream sauce. The Sequoia Grove Carneros Chardonnay is best for dinners that feature less complex menus, like grilled salmon or snapper, or roasted chicken with herbs.

Each wine is excellent, but each has its distinctive taste, Allen says, due to the variable climates of the regions where their grapes are grown. The winemaking process is the same, as is the barrel aging. Only the homeland is different.

Differences in California climates have become more obvious in recent years, as winemakers have consistently planted grapes suited for certain climates in certain regions. Thus the growth of detailed geographic label identification such as Carneros or Stag's Leap or Alexander Valley.

Indeed, there are those in the California wine industry who want the American consumer to become more aware of the differences in taste from a particular viticultural area.

For those who would immediately appreciate a demonstration of that difference, consider the two Sequoia Grove chardonnays. There is, arguably, no better evidence of the distinction.